Hey everybody, how are you today? 

I am so so sorry to those of you I told I'd be updating yesterday, but unfortunately my teachers decided to dump as much homework on me as they wanted the day I needed to write a chapter for this book, XP. 

Along with homework, I had a nice long chapter written out a lot nicer than this, but for some reason it didn't save and I don't feel like re-writing it entirely. 

As for my updating schedule, I think I will update every Tuesday or Wednesday and Friday or Saturday, does that work for you guys? 

Also, thank you all so so so so so so much for 12.1K+ reads on this book! I really didn't expect it to get that far, and I also really didn't think it would reach #75 in Fantasy. Again, thank you soooooo much!!

I'm sorry for the short chapter, it will be longer next time. Please vote, comment and share! 

Remember to be good to each other! 

Byeeee

Word Count: 1551

Unedited 

Chapter Eight:

"Its wonderful to see you again, Prince Felix." I stated sarcastically as the young prince slipped into my bedroom around three-thirty, wearing black sweatpants and a grey hoodie.

"It's splendid to see you again, Miss Jade." He curtsied like a girl before slowly walking up to where I sat on my bed. There weren't any actually good books in this room, -just a couple of Aldmist history books - but I had immersed myself in a book about teens killing one another and getting drunk, and three of the girls had the same name, "Feathers" or something unusual like that. There was literally nothing to do except read and explore, which I had already done and discovered a large bathroom with so many soaps and mirrors. It was gold and shimmered like the finest diamonds, neat and almost too tidy, too beautiful. I left the bathroom just as quick as I had found it, fearing just looking at it with my eyes would tarnish the gleaming room.

The room I had earlier escaped from was left as untouched as the moment I awoke, every book - except for the one in my hand - was aligned perfectly, not even the blanket neatly tossed upon the sofa chair had been touched. The only thing  messy in the room was me, and the bed which I was currently sitting criss-cross on, a book in hand. 

Prince Felix grinned at me, his eyes twinkled with a child-like excitement all youth seemed to have. It was something I missed, and something I longed for, for I had never experienced it. My father was too quick to steal away my childhood, my childly innocence and my imagination. He ruined any chances of me ever understanding what happiness for a kid was like and for some odd reason - I was okay with that. I never got to dream of a faraway land that my soulmate would sweep me off my feet to, I knew he didn't exist. I never played dress up pretending I was a princess, I knew I wasn't, but I always got one thing. And that one thing was guilt. The guilt of being so damned to die lonely, that I would dirty my family's reputation, my own name, and anyone else's. I would drag anyone's name through the Mudd. 

"Your mate is currently waiting for it to be five o' clock so he can see you again." Felix wiggled his eyebrows, the greens within his eyes twinkling like a gem. Prince Felix was a very handsome young man for his age, with bold cheek bones, a strong jawline and mysterious yet happy green eyes, he could captivate any teenage girl or boy with just one look. 

"Mate?" I snapped and raised an eyebrow at him, cringing as the word rolled off of my tongue like fire. There it was again, that horrid, horrid word that continuously seemed to pop up in my life. I wanted to be rid of it, free of the expectation of marrying someone and being absolutely, completely happy. 

The way I spoke must have been a little too harsh, because Prince Felix's eyes darkened slightly, his face twisting in anger. He turned away slowly, and headed towards the window seat in my bedroom, where I had been sitting earlier, day dreaming about having a mate. 

"Look I'm sor-" I was cut off by a quiet growl of anger. It was low, guttural, almost animalistic and made me shiver in fear. I knew it was coming from Prince Felix, even though it sounded so animal like. 

"Why?" He said softly, after he had finished growling. He stared out the window, greens of the vast forest spilling out in front of it, nearly shimmering under the suns harsh glow. "Why do you reject my brother like that? He's your mate and yet you shun him." Felix turned away from the window and looked towards me, his features set in an angrily calm expression. Different emotions swirled in his eyes as he watched me, waiting for my reply. 

Looking down at the book in my hands, I sighed, "Your brother, is not my mate." I turned over the book in my hands nervously, the golden lettered print shining from the sun outside. 

A loud crash was heard, and I flinched away, looking up to see a lamp shattered on the floor. The  once intricate design with beautiful pastels and soft pinks was now in pieces on the hard wood floor, lying lifelessly, unlike the artistry that had been painted upon it.

 "Is there another?" Prince Felix asked, staring at the the shattered lamp. "Another whom you've given your heart to? Instead of my brother?" 

I shook my head sniffling, and kept my eyes on the floor where the broken lamp lay at my feet. "No," I said airily, not wanting to make eye contact with the boy in front of me, "There isn't another." 

My mind was dancing back and forth between whether I should tell him that I did not have a soul-mate tattoo, or if I should keep it to myself and pray for the best. Pray to Fate and Adam and Eve that my soul is blessed and I am not sent to the dungeons to rot. But as my father always said, "those damned to die could never be blessed." 

"Then what is it?!" Felix shout walking up to me, fire trailing in his wake. For a small young man of great renown, he had a lot of burning passion, but not as much as his eldest brother probably possessed. 

Flinching at his tone, I felt a tear fall down my cheek before I looked up at him, fearing what I was about to do. 

"I cannot have a mate," I said softly, more tears following the first. I reached for my right arm, and found the bandage that was covering my partially healed scratch wound from the night of the gala. When Felix looked confused, I held up my arm and let out a soft whimper, "I cannot have a mate because I don't have a mate-tattoo. I do not share a connection with anyone on this earth, nor the next. My body is bare, not a single mark upon it." 

Without hesitation, Prince Felix grabbed my arm roughly, and peered down at the pinkish flesh where my fake tattoo usually was. A sob escaped my lips when he didn't say anything, anger, confusion and fear evident on his features. 

"You're...unmarked." He said softly, before he threw my arm down and rushed out of the room, leaving me to be lonely once again.

---

Alone Adrian sat, his eyes staring out at the vast forest, and where it met the sea. It was always a beautiful sight, one that made him feel powerful, like a king. 

You are going to be a king. His conscience reminded him seemingly unconcerned. It was one of the heaviest burdens Prince Adrian would ever have to bare, and he didn't want to do it alone. He didn't want to sit at his throne, sadly glancing at the empty throne beside him, one meant for his queen, the queen that didn't want him. A strange pang of sadness flushed his chest as he continued to stare out the window, his book, "Exile and the Kingdom" long forgotten on his lap. 

His queen, the woman he planned to spend his entire life with, didn't want him back. At all. In fact, she seemed almost disgusted with the idea of him as her mate, which made the pained feeling in his chest worsen. Adrian had a plan though, a plan that would make Jade his in a matter of days. All he needed to do was woo her, show he how great it could be to be with him, and then maybe, just maybe, she'd love him. 

"Adrian," the door creaked and in stepped a sweating out of breath Felix, whose face was red with exhaustion. 

"Yes, brother?" Prince Adrian turned towards his sibling, raising one single eyebrow. The informality of his brother's outfit, - Adrian noticed - was something that was normal with the youngest child in the royal family. Felix usually refused to wear his fancy done-up suit unless it was a very special occasion, and at the moment it obviously wasn't. 

Suddenly composing himself, Felix sauntered in, a mild smirk on his red tinted cheeks. "Our little Jade has been keeping a secret from us." 

The air in the room suddenly thickened, making it almost too hard to breathe. Adrian stared at his brother confused, "What is it?" He asked quickly standing from his spot and rushing to his brother. 

The room around them was a dark grey color, with white couches, book cases piled on books cases and in a neatly stacked order, every single royal family member. Along with the aesthetic look the the library, there were also large triangle shaped windows with the clearest crystal glass, and window seats strewn with blankets and books yet to be put away. The room smelled of Honeysuckle Syrup, rain, and shoeshine, which made it feel homey and cozy to all those who entered.

"I'd tell you brother, but I think it would be best coming from your mates mouth."